College football bowl projections: CFP picks and forecasting postseason lineup
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The only thing predictable about the college football season is its unpredictability. Forecasting the 12 teams that will make the College Football Playoff is like trying to predict the entire first round of the NCAA basketball tournament. Good luck.
But just because something is difficult doesn't mean we don't give our best effort. And with that in mind, USA TODAY Sports is here with its annual preseason bowl projections that will not only determine the entire playoff field but the whole postseason with a look at the 82 teams that will have at least one extra game this year.
Ohio State is starting the season at No. 1 in the US LBM Coaches Poll. However, the Buckeyes don't have the No. 1 seed in the playoff field with that designation going to Georgia, the predicted winner of the SEC. Ohio State still rates as the top team in the Big Ten and slots in at the No. 2 spot followed by Notre Dame and Miami. Beyond the four teams with byes, the SEC has four more schools in the field with Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama and Mississippi holding four positions. Oregon and Indiana join from the Big Ten and BYU is designated the Big 12 champion. The Group of Six spot goes to American favorite Navy.
How close will this come to fruition? Well, consider that in the two years of the expanded CFP field less than half the teams (11 of 24) ranked in the top 12 of the preseason poll have been selected in December. But this is our best guess before the first ball is kicked Saturday.
College football bowl projections and CFP picks
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College football bowl projections: CFP picks and forecasting postseason lineup
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